of underwater kisses and two young heroes
by salty'n'sweet
Summary: "And it was pretty much the best underwater proposal of all time." / Or, that time when Percy just didn't have the guts to propose to Annabeth on dry land - but hey, he's always stronger in the water, right? He better hope so.


"Bro, Annabeth _loves_ you." Jason flopped down on the grass, munching an apple.

"But _bro_ …" Percy protested, shooting Jason's apple out of his hand with water. Jason sat up, soaking wet. "Isn't it too soon?"

Jason shook himself like a little puppy (or an angry blond dog). "Bro, I'm not giving you any more proposal advice until you dry me."

Percy grumbled, grudgingly drying him. "This is serious, Jase!"

Jason exhaled. "Let's run through the plan again. So when you're prepping for Algebra, you'll take out an apple…"

"-and throw it at her!"

" _No_." Jason grumbled. " _To_ her, yeesh. And then you'll get down on your knees and propose."

"Oh. Kay then." Percy got up. "You better not lose the ring, by the way. It took me hours to beg out of Hephaestus."

"Liar," Jason snorted. "We all know Aphrodite threatened him never to reject making you a ring years ago."

"So not-wait, _years_ ago? We haven't even been dating that long!"

"Bro. The whole camp knew you two were in love with each other way before you guys did. Really, that's clueless if I've ever seen it."

Percy just rolled his eyes good-naturedly and left, spraying Jason with water for good measure.

"Perce! Your apple!" Jason threw his apple, and it hit Percy in the forehead, since he turned around at the worst possible moment.

"Wait," Percy looked thoughtful. "Did you just...propose? 'Cause, I mean…"

Jason laughed. "It's true, bro...you're the one for me. I...I LOVE YOU, PERCY." He got down on one knee. "Will you make me the happiest man alive, and do me the honor of becoming my husband?"

"What if I'm... _not your type_?"

"Ha-ha. But really, _please_ go ask Annabeth. For the camp's sake. We've waited seven years already."

* * *

"Hey, Annabeth?"

"So you'd get 4 plus or minus the square root of 49...and then that'd be…"

"You know, Annabeth…"

"Is this related to quadratic equations?"

"Yeah."

"Kay then, I'm listening." She smiled, knowing full well this was not about algebra in the slightest.

"Do you...do you want a snack? Fruit maybe!" He tried to lower his voice, but inside he was freaking out.

"Sure, there's pears, clementines - yes, there's blue food coloring - mangos, bananas-"

"Apples?" Percy looked up hopefully. _Please let there be apples..._

"Nope. We're out. Why? You don't like apples."

"Uh...no reason."

She sighed, giving Percy a quick peck on the lips. "Seaweed Brain."

"Wise Girl."

...And there went any hope of doing algebra. Not that Percy minded, of course.

* * *

"Really? You didn't ask?" Leo sighed.

"Why?" Piper asked, looking up from braiding Jason's hair. Jason, of course, had sustained a _slight_ head injury in Capture the Flag last night and was sleeping it off.

"She had no apples," Percy informed them.

Leo facepalmed. "And you didn't bring your own?"

"I forgot."

"I repeat my earlier statement." Leo facepalmed again.

"Dude," said Percy. "A facepalm is not a statement."

"Shut it, Aquaman."

"Whatever. Anyway, I need advice."

"Perce…" Piper spoke up. "She loves you. You love her. Please get married and move on."

"But I _can't_."

"And whyever not?" Piper asked disinterestedly.

"What if it's too soon? What if she doesn't like me that much? What if she likes someone else? What if her mom blasts me to smithereens? What if I smell? Do I smell? Piper _answer the question_ oh gods I smell don't I?"

"No, Percy, you do not smell," Piper reassured him. "Besides, she wouldn't date you if she didn't like you. And I thought her mom was cool with you guys now. No frying, no blasting, no killing, right?"

"Well, _yeah_ , but what if she changes her mind?"

"Then you get blasted to smithereens," Leo said helpfully.

"Oh my gosh, Percy, do it already. How many people told you that Annabeth loves you today?"

"Like, zero."

"No, like ten. Including Annabeth."

"Besides," Leo butts in, "I'll always murder her if she rejects you-"

"-which she won't," added Piper.

"-cause you're one of my men, and I _protect_ my men."

Percy snorted. "Is Jason one of your men, too?"

"Of course," Leo said seriously.

"Well, I didn't see you protecting him when you knocked him out last night," Percy deadpanned.

Leo put his arm around Percy. "Tough love, my friend, tough love."

* * *

"I _so_ beat you in that last race," Percy declared as he and Annabeth were walking back to the pavilion. They were both sweaty and muddy, and Annabeth's hair was an utter mess, but it just made him love her more. Cheesy much?

"Dream on, Seaweed Brain." She laughed.

"So, I was thinking…" he started.

"Uh-oh, don't hurt yourself, Perce," she joked.

"Very funny. But anyway, wanna take a stroll by the lake?"

"We'll miss dinner."

"And who in the world cares? I don't."

Annabeth snorted. "Me neither, but you better give your lady a piggy back ride there."

"Of course, m'lady." Percy crouched. "Hop right on."

She did, and they took off, and it was like one of those fairytale endings where the prince and princess ride off into the sunset, only a really twisted one where the prince is the horse.

* * *

It was getting dark and they were playing Twenty Questions. The air was warm and moist and their bare feet splashed each others' in the water. He loved it.

"Hey, Perce. Thanks."

"Uh, what did I do again?"

"You Seaweed Brain. For this. Bringing me up here. I love you, you know."

"So I've heard."

Annabeth put her head on Percy's lap and sighed, closing her eyes and purring. "I love it up here."

They stayed like that for a few minutes, until Percy suggested taking a swim.

"No _way._ It's cold."

"Too bad," Percy laughed, picking her up and jumping in. He remembered the Underwater Kiss, and his heart swelled. He was so, so happy to be here. But something prodded the back of his mind. The proposal.

He'd given Annabeth her own bubble, but she had swum into his. "Oh, _no way_ , Wise Girl. You have your own bubble."

She laughed, and he remembered an unpleasant moment - when they'd laughed together in Tartarus. But he pushed the thought out of his mind. They were safe now.

"Hey, Annabeth," he said, not even thinking about it. "I don't really like your name."

"Ex _cuse_ me?"

"Your last name, specifically." Oh _gods_ , what was he doing?

"Oh really now?" She asked, a smile forming on her lips. "What would you rather it be?"

And he blurted, "Jackson."

Time stood still. His eyes bulged out, realizing what he just did. Oh _noooooo._

"Seaweed Brain, are you….proposing?" He couldn't read Annabeth's face, and took that as a bad sign. He rushed to apologize.

"I'm so sorry, it just slipped out, I mean, if you don't like me then…"

Annabeth sighed, looking really serious. A cold dread settled in Percy's stomach. "You're right, Percy. I _don't_ like you."

Heartbroken. Stung. Feeling like he was slapped in the face, Percy stumbled back. "Oh," he said, fighting back tears. "Oh, that's….that's okay, don't…"

"You _Seaweed Brain._ I don't like you, I _love_ you."

"Oh. _Oh._ Annabeth...I was so worried."

"I told you I'm never making things easy for you. You _better_ start getting used to it."

"So...yes?"

"What do you think?" Annabeth hugged him tight. "Duh."

"So, like. Are you my fiancée now or…"

"I think so."

"So, my fiancée."

"My fiancé."

"I don't even get the difference."

"It's, like, if you're a guy and-" Annabeth started.

"Doesn't matter, fiancée."

"Oh, shut up, Seaweed Brain."

"I, um," Percy pulled a little box out. "Got you a ring."

Just at that moment, the air bubble popped.

He managed to grab the box and Annabeth his hand, and they were both soaking wet and the dirt was running down them and it was kind of gross, but their lips touched and the whole world melted away.

And it was pretty much the best underwater proposal of all time.

* * *

 **oh gosh that was so cliché and cheesy but i'm not even ashamed**

 **anywho, introductions. i'm salty'n'sweet, and you prolly all know that, but this is my first story on this account (but not on ffn) and it's utterly cliché fluff of course it is yaay. i'll probably write these for other couples (not the same prompt or anything just fluffity fluff fluff) and i might be starting a multichap soon but school will start soon sooo…**

 **sorry if you thought it was hideous but r &r anyway? bye!**

 **oh i forgot to mention, call me lily & bye now for real**


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